Norway: Leading by Example

Abstract

Unlike other case studies in this book, Norway stands out as the only democratic OECD country committed to transparency and accountability, as is well demonstrated by its high rankings in international indices for freedom and democracy. It is exactly these traits that make Norway a fascinating case to compare the other three countries against, in terms of how international voluntary initiatives, like the EITI, are implemented. The case demonstrates the dichotomy between Norway as an international supporter and promoter of transparency in the extractive industries norm, and as a country facing challenges in keeping up and complying with the rules of the EITI. Thus, whereas in the international context, Norway is very much advanced, at the domestic level it still has to go through patterns and processes of norm implementation, just like any other state.